Stealing a Board

Stealing a Board

Fall North American Bridge Championships in San Francisco
Sunday, December 2, 1990

Swiss Teams with Kathy, Todd & Bobbette  We were 2-2 in the afternoon,
    then were late for the fifth round.  Kathy thought it started at
    6:00 when it started at 5:00.  The last three rounds, we switched
    partners, Todd playing with Kathy and me with Bobbette.
Round 7
 
Stealing a board.  White against Red, Bobbette, north is dealer
 
                J 10  K  K
                2     J 10
                      x  x
                      x  x
                      x
  A  K  x x           x      9  A  x  A
 10  Q                       x  x  x  Q
  8  x                          x     J
  x  x                          x     x
  x  x                                x
  x             K  J  A  9
  x             Q  8  Q  8
                x  x  x  7
                      x
 
At our table                            At the other table,
 N(Bobbette)  E  S(me)   W              N  E(Kathy)  S  W(Todd)
    2D        P  3NT(!)  P              2D   *       3D   4S
    P         P                         5D   *    All pass

I got a spade lead, dummy's jack winning. I ran my 6 diamonds, pitching 2 clubs, and led another spade. LHO won his ace and returned another spade (thank you). Now hoping for a club endplay for my ninth trick, I led a heart, but LHO won and claimed. Rats, down 1 (hee hee). Minus 50.

At the other table Kathy made a (sort of off-shape) takeout double and Todd bid his cold 4 spades. North took the profitable sacrifice and was minus 500. That was plus 450 for us which wasn't enough to win the round (we tied 21-21), but it sure was fun.

And just like last week (see "double endplay"), the opponents came to our table afterwards and took the board back to their table to discuss it. Ha, ha! I love it when the opponents get befuddled like that, can't believe the result, and want to look at the board after the round. At the time at our table, our opponents didn't even realize they were hoodwinked.

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